Thanks Lisa. This has been such a rough few weeks for me with my car accident and hearing about my friend who died, that I have been on the edge of panic each day and especially night.
I'm actually feeling miserable right now. My anxiety is so high - I have a little fever and throat is closing up but I have convinced myself that this is a stomach bug. Its getting insane! I've never had a stomach flu that began with a sore throat! But its beyond rational thought. I can tell myself that this is obviously a cold or the flu - as in upper respiratory, but I still get stuck in the panic.
Its also partly that my mind gets tripped into this mode when I hear about someone else getting sick. I heard 2 people say they had a stomach bug today, and then got home and read the email on this thread from someone describing her illness. Thats all I needed to go into overdrive.
I think I need to take the xanax that is sitting and being ignored. I don't trust it for some reason. I think it may be because the panic gives a false sense of control - as in I'm freaking out, so I'm somehow in a twisted way being vigilant against getting sick. If I take something that stops the panic than I'm not protecting myself. I think that could be how my unconscious/subconscious operates.
So I'm here analyzing each and every stomach sensation. Its not a way to live. Like someone else said, I don't want to be on my deathbed and realize how much time and energy I wasted on useless worry. I'm going to find a new therapist and try CBT. Its time for a new step towards reducing this. Thanks for listening.
-------------------- Ladies & gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.